31 March Bank Holiday Cancelled: RBI Cancels Bank Holiday on March 31 in These Places, Check the List

Bank Holiday Cancel: Despite Mahavir Jayanti, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the bank holiday on March 31, 2026 for several banks across the country. In a fresh circular, RBI has withdrawn the holiday for all “Agency Banks”—banks that handle banking operations on behalf of the Central and State Governments.

Usually, banks witness a heavy load of government-related transactions on the last day of the financial year. Keeping this in mind, RBI has taken this decision to ensure smooth completion of official financial work.

Reason Behind Cancelling the Holiday

March 31 marks the last day of the financial year 2025–26. The government aims to complete all pending revenue collections, tax payments, pension disbursements, and government challans on the same day. If banks remained closed, these transactions would have been pushed into the next financial year, creating complications in government account reconciliation.

Which Banks Will Remain Open?

As per RBI’s directive, all Agency Banks handling government business will remain open on March 31. These include:

• Public Sector Banks:
  State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Bank of Baroda (BOB), Canara Bank, and other PSU banks.
• Private Sector Banks:
  HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, IDFC First Bank, IndusInd Bank, Bandhan Bank, and other major private banks.

States Where the Holiday Has Been Cancelled

Earlier, due to Mahavir Jayanti, banks were scheduled to remain closed in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand. However, banks in all these states will now function normally on March 31.

Important Information for Customers and Taxpayers

1. Bank Timings:
   Bank branches will remain open for the full working day. Customers can visit branches for both government-related and regular banking services.
2. Tax Payments:
   This is a relief for taxpayers, as they can submit income tax and GST challans at bank branches even on the last day of the financial year.
3. Stock Markets to Remain Closed:
   Despite banks being open, trading on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) will remain suspended on account of Mahavir Jayanti.